Discussion Just how 'good' was Leigh Matthews?

[Miss_Brightside]

Yesterday on SEN radio, Andy Maher said that the discussion around the VFL/AFL best all-time player starts and ends with Leigh Matthews. I never saw him play. Was he really 'that good'?

Would SCS members who saw him play be able to tell me your thoughts on Leigh as a player?

Highlights:

View: https://youtu.be/Or_vfl1mg8s?feature=shared

View: https://youtu.be/yq93n9h3s8U?feature=shared

View: https://youtu.be/V6vhtW1aZUw?feature=shared


Stats and other info:

Born: March 1, 1952
Recruited: Chelsea FC
Height: 178 cm/ 5 ft 10 inches
Weight: 86 kg/ 189.6 lb
Played: 1969 - 1985
Debut Order: 598
First game: Round 16, 1969
Last game: Grand Final, 1985
Games: 332
Goals: 915
Guernsey: 32 (1969 - 1971), 3 (1972 - 1985)
Captain: 1981 - 1985
Premierships: 1971, 1976, 1978, 1983
Night Premierships: 1969, 1977
Leading Goal kicker: 1975 (68)
Best & Fairest: 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982
2nd Best & Fairest: 1975, 1981
3rd Best & Fairest: 1973
Life Member: 1976
Team of the Century: 2001
Hall of Fame - Legend of the Club: 2003

VFL / AFL Honours
3rd Brownlow Medal: 1973, 1982
Coleman Medal: 1975
State Captain: 1980
State Representative: 14
VFL/AFL Life Member: 1984
AFL Legend: 1996
AFL Team of the Century: 1996
All-Australian: 1972, 1982, 1983
AFLPA MVP: 1982

https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/club/history/hall-of-fame/leigh-matthews

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/L/Leigh_Matthews.html

 

[Bermi]

I haven't seen to many games where Mathews played, but I still remember him breaking the behind post.

View: https://youtu.be/YCGi7Yy9p74

 

[Diabolical]

I haven't seen to many games where Mathews played, but I still remember him breaking the behind post.

View: https://youtu.be/YCGi7Yy9p74

Does Neville Bruns get to vote?

View: https://youtu.be/wi0nnmPYZu8?si=ocvL-hV_9Wod2uMa

 

[Bermi]

Does Neville Bruns get to vote?

View: https://youtu.be/wi0nnmPYZu8?si=ocvL-hV_9Wod2uMa

Bruns reveals his unsuccessful attempts to reach out to Matthews (sen.com.au)
BRUNS REVEALS HIS UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO REACH OUT TO LEIGH MATTHEWS
BY SEN - 5 YEARS AGO

Former Geelong midfielder Neville Bruns says he has tried on numerous occasions to reach out to AFL legend Leigh Matthews after the infamous incident between the two.

Matthews broke the jaw of Bruns after punching him behind play when the Hawks met the Cats in 1985, and faced criminal charges following the unsavoury hit.


The four-time premiership player escaped charges but was deregistered for four matches.

“I have tried on many occasions (to contact Leigh Matthews),” he told SEN’s Whateley.

“Leigh (Matthews) doesn’t want to talk to me about it for whatever reason.

“He talks to others about it, I have put it out to Leigh many times - let’s sit down and have a coffee, tell me your story, tell me what happened after the incident on your end and I would be very happy to share what I have with you like I have today [on Whateley].

“He’s never wanted to do that.”

Bruns recalled a function he attended, after being invited by now Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett, that enabled him to share his side of the story to a number of Hawks players who played on that particular day.

“He’s [Jeff Kennett] a terrific fella and I really admire him,’ Bruns said.

“A few weeks later he rang me and he asked if I could be his guest speaker at the RACV Club.

“Of course I was thinking the RACV Club meaning RACV members, as I get there there’s 140 Hawthorn corporate people and he’s got the incident played up on this massive big TV screen.

“I had to win the crowd over very quickly and I had a few Hawthorn players who played in that game come up to me after it after I told my story and they actually said: ‘well done, that was terrific, we didn’t realise what you went through.

“They probably only saw Leigh’s side, so it was an interesting day.”

 

[Miss_Brightside]

Did anyone see Lethal play?

 

[Merv Neagle]

He was a thug.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...8QFnoECBkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3bt8j-Zp9i5oLzi71wkEQt

 

[Vicwood]

He was a thug.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...8QFnoECBkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3bt8j-Zp9i5oLzi71wkEQt

There was a few thugs in each team.

 

[Miss_Brightside]

He was a thug.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...8QFnoECBkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3bt8j-Zp9i5oLzi71wkEQt

Was that a really huge incident back in the day?

 

[Merv Neagle]

Was that a really huge incident back in the day?

Absolutely watch the vision it's the most appalling incident I have seen in my 60 years

 

[Feerits Elf]

Leigh Matthews was desperately unlucky.

One of the fairest players the game has even seen, but on more than one occasion while going for the ball he accidentally hit blokes in the head.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3usWhXxITA